Alan Pardew – Newcastle Are In Desperate Need Of A Trophy

Alan Pardew held his press conference today for the Cardiff City Cup tie, and he said some passionate things about wanting Newcastle to win a trophy, which of course we haven’t done since 1969, when we won the Inter-City Fairs Cup (now essentially the Europa League), and we haven’t won a domestic trophy since we took Manchester City apart 3-1 back in 1955 to win the FA Cup, and that was our 3rd FA Cup win in a short five years, after also winning it in 1951 and 1952, when we took Blackpool and Arsenal apart respectively by scores of 2-0 and 1-0.

Alan Pardew – we are in desperate need of a trophy
This is some of what Alan said at his press conference today for tomorrow’s FA Cup 3rd round tie at St. James’ Park, when asked if he wanted to win a trophy:

“The glory is what we want, managers and players they want glory – we love all of that – it builds our ego – it makes us confident – it make us want to improve ourselves, and we want a winning medal next to our name or a winning trophy.”

“You’ll never change that, and whatever team goes out at the weekend, whether it’s seven changes at Aston Villa or 9 changes at West Ham – it’s irrelevant – that team will want to win and managers want to win.”

“It’s pretty obvious that this club is in desperate need of a trophy – it’s a big big club that hasn’t had a trophy for a long long time, and last year we got to the quarter finals of the Europa League, and I genuinely think we if we could have got through that, we would have had a great chance of winning it.”

“My feelings are that we will always be trying to win a trophy at this club, and it’s very important for the fans and it’s very important for the club.” “Our fans accuse us of not trying to win and the media gets on the back of that and they have this week.”

“And it’s difficult for us, and it’s a no-win situation at times in terms of the selection of the team.” “Unless you win the game and then you’ve got it spot on, so you have to win and I’m very nervous of it, because I will make some changes – but I want to win.”

It would be great to get through to the 4th round of the FA Cup tomorrow afternoon, but Yohan Cabaye is out and probably Tim Krul too – both with injuries- and so with Colo also injured and Mathieu Debuchy suspended, that will mean at least four changes to the side that was beaten 1-0 at West Brom on New Years Day.

I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve never really held too much stock in the cups, I’d much rather see us up there competing for top 4 consistently and gradually improving than to win the odd trophy every 10 years. Champions League aside of course, now that would be a cup I’d go all out and strive for. It’s nice to dream.

Think pardew could do with a trophy just as much as the club could tbh!
Think hes doing ok this year but saying that with the starting 11 hes been able to put out each week, there is no one below us that should be above us whereas player for player I think with our side we should be above everton and with the season spurs and man utd are having id argue perhaps we should be above them!
Like i said, hes doing an ok job and deserves to continue but i doubt hes the man to take us into the top 4 no matter what players we sign! Problem for me is he gets the best out of less talented players, can’t knock him for that, perch and simpson played very well for him, ryan taylor also did well , think he uses shola effectively now and then and Willo has been a man possessed this season! But for me he never gets our supremely talented players firing on top form! HBA is an example of that (tho better managers than pards have failed with him) marveaux is a very talented footballer, sissoko has the attributes to become a vieira or toure,anita, cisse was a fantastic goal poacher for the first 10 years of his career and if im honest I don’t think pards knows what to do with these players! I think hed be happier with a side of willos,goslings, taylors, perches, less than talented players that will die for the cause and put their bodies on the line! If im honest i think hed get a team like that to 7th over achieving the same as he cd get a team full of internationals to 7th under achieving

We cant compete for top 4. We need Winger, CAM and CF, all classy players to do that. Also to change Pardew, he is very limited with his skills. But as I said, I just cant see how JFK can do anything good for a club. He CANT sign players

@ Tommy I would take winning a cup over a high end finish ! I can only dream went to both cup final defeats Arsenal/Man Utd how I wish to go a 3rd time lucky to see us score and win would be awesome and the celerbrating would go on all night – hope this happens sooner rather than later

Asked Alan Pardew about signing Remy Cabella is said “If we get the right price there is a chance he could go to #nufc” ????

Says she was at the training ground today meeting AP and the players and apparently this is what Pardew said when she asked about Cabella. The interesting thing is she isn’t your typical ITK and has no reason to talk crap!

@belgrade annoying thing is, with 25m investment into players I think we really could move on to the next level! The scouting system seems good, just theres never any proper investment! I don’t miss freddy shepherd but i miss the club having ambition

@belgrade he must he lazio’s Klose replacement?? Shame hes a really decent player! Theres some big talents from the Balkans, surprised more premier league clubs don’t look at Serbia, Bosnia and montenegro!

Blaydon – If that were to mean say, winning one of the Carling or FA cup once in 6 or 7 years, and then being midtable at best in the meantime would you then? We’d have to ask Wigan fans really. I suspect they would take consistent midtable finishes with the odd cup run over being bogged down in the championship and not looking like returning any time soon.
For those who are older and have experienced final atmospheres then I’m sure it’s a different story, however we have to question whether these cups we could win actually have the importance and standing they used to? I’m not so sure.

I think most if us on here feel we can go to edge of CL every year with relaticely small investment in players.
I’m sure £25-30m would be enough, sensibly spent. Trouble is the players who can regularly deliver CL are all £5m each more than we want to spend.

Joke has even lower status than Pardew so nobody really trusts the management to deliver any of this. Fair dos to Pardew he got pretty close to a Cup win but he ain’t top draw and I doubt if he could get us CL every year, though he might get it in a good year.

Good points Tommy but I’m still desperate to see us lift a trophy as winning the league is very unrealistic. We have a steady modual for a well run club buy players at bargain prices and sell for top dollar so can not really see us involved in a fight to stay up every season like Wigan ! We have a massive fan base and virtually sell out every home game these fans deserve a trophy for all the years of hurt !

Seems to be a diversity of views – Percy and the players want to win things – compared to those two arses who went to the fans meeting and said we we not interested in cups.
We have to have ambition -otherwise what is the point in having a football club at all.
Percy knows (and I suppose old JFK will know) what motivates players -unfortunately with our team it needs upgrading now – to keep it fresh and to progress. A couple of wees ago there was a manager on (cannot remember who now) saying they were going to sign players in the window) Martinez was on last week saying he wants to sign a couple. Unfortunately – keeping ahead f the pack and having the opportunity to win things equates to spending some money.
Percy and JFK have have 6 months to scout around and to convince Mr Tubbs of football reality – we’ll see if their message has been received loud and clear within the next four weeks.

I’m agreeing with Jay in terms of a little investment could take us to the next level. Not saying to go out n spend big but as long as we bring in the right players, whether it be spending 25 or 5million we need to move forward and strengthen and not just be content, if we are content the other clubs will sign players and move forward and above us and we will drop back

I hope 2014 is treating you well so far, besides the 1st of course, but the less said about that the better (not sure that’s completely accurate on this blog…but oh well).

Interesting game tomorrow with Ole taking charge of Cardiff.

I’d say Catchy must be somewhat torn, but he’s probably already ordered his Blue, I mean Red…or whatever colour Vincent has Cardiff rocking out in these days…

Only joking Catchy…well, sort of anyway.

Personally I would have liked to see Ole manage at a club with a better chairman. Not sure Tans leadership lends itself to an even platform for a manager. Oh well, good luck Ole, just not for tomorrow.

In my opinion we’re a Suarez and Lukaku away from being top 4. Players of that mould, a nippy forward who drops deep and gets involved with linking play and can’t be easily marked or picked up, and a solid line leading striker who had good feet and good positioning and can hold the ball up if need be.
Another CB would be nice but I believe if we pressed hard from the front and the wings it really solidifies the defense and offers protection as it is, added to that the efforts of Tiote and Cabaye at breaking up play and distributing we’d be an excellent side.

“At the moment it is there. It was not expected him to leave in January. There was a discussion about a possible departure in June. There is an agreement in principle. After that, there must be a good offer for the player and for the club. Contacts with Newcastle? Not at all, I do not speak English (smiles). Agents called me. Here I am on vacation. We’ll see Monday. There is absolutely no contact with this club ” , insists Nicollin on RMC . “For the moment, Rémy is Montpellier and I hope he will be with us until June. We are still 17C, with 3 points ahead of Valenciennes. We will not do anything. We do not chase the money. After that, there are offers that are not refusables …

Agree Doumbia and Cabella. I think Menez might stay at PSG if their CL run goes well, but if he wants regular league action maybe and he is out of contract 2014… If Cabs goes to PSG he could be a makeweight.

Personally I’d still be interested in Siem de Jong – and Luuk as a Shola replacement.

I’m still convinced we need another top CB/FB preferably a good header and quick. If Willo hadb’t come good we’d be in trouble at the back – our defence is still a weak link.

Basically yes we are three quality players short of reguyklar 5th place. Also think we need coaching staff bolstering though I’d keep Pardew for the time being as he has positive as well as negative qualities. Won’t happen but its nice to dream…

Don’t see Zaha coming here either as he wants guaranteed football and I don’t think we can give him that. We are not gonna play him in front of our regular crew, And what would it say to benny if zaha gets game time in front of him …………Another disgruntled player to leave in the summer

It is somewhat amusing how a week or so ago, people were complaining that we weren’t being mentioned along with Liverpool as CL contenders and in the past few days i’ve seen predictions of a relegation battle…gotta love the toon.

Pardew wining a trophy no chance! While winners like Laudrup and Martinez do the business with unfashionable clubs like Swansea and Wigan, we have to listen to a three time loser insulting our intelligence. Cardiff will come here tomorrow full of confidence and with new manager that’s another proving winner to outwit the halfwit.

Ibizatoon
Yes, especially Nicollin. Not sure if he is GFN source on the no contact thing. If he is, it is actually good news, since he basically saying that he haven’t been in contact with anybody cause he don’t speak english and he is on vacation until Monday. Daily mail can be right that an enquiry have been made to Cabellas agent.

jazzyp
Keep dreaming mate but stay grounded. Window is still open. The madness have only just begun.

Tbf Kruls bad points predated Mr woodman I think. Elliot is the other side of the coin, not as good an instinct Keeps but way better kicker, braver (perhaps on the foolhardy side) at coming out to claim and prefers to distribute from the back with an excellent throw. I won’t worry that the oft-maligned ‘championship’ goalie gets a game tomorrow.

Heard Pards interview on Total sport tonight, tbf it sounds like he’s going to play the strongest team he can and he cited the fact we have as many points as are fifth season and would rather have an FA cup run than finish tenth, unlike that miserable sod Lambert who pretty much rubbished the thing.

I’m only pulling the chain about Pardew nosing off about cups, he’s only reacting to what he hears from the fans and the press, it’s his job to offer sound bites on a regular basis.

I’ve said it before, we only lost by a measly goal last two games, we’ve got this far on three cylinders, just a bit more tweaking and we’ll be firing on all four. Tomorrow is a good start to adjust for injury and suspension, rather than a day or so before the Citeh game.

If you think it’s a great season it just shows how far we have fallen.

Everyone beats united now, Krul beat spurs, 2 red cards v stoke and yes we had a good little run, but Pardew never rested or rotated over the festive period and had people running on empty against a really c..p team like WBA.

If your idea of playing on the front foot is 3 shots at goal in 94 mins 2 matches running then god help us.

Rotunda,
I like to have a moan about Mashley but understand he isn’t going anywhere, could you get it into your head that while the fat man is in charge of affairs his patsies and yes men aren’t going anywhere either, Pardew was selected and then given an eight year contract for a very good reason, he’s cheap and can deliver mediocrity with occasional good runs.

No G2, more like a modern French one, reasonable build, pretty nippy, but unfortunately not very reliable. Breaks down just when you’ve think it’s cruising along, and costs a fortune in parts to get it moving again.

If we finished 4th and won the FA Cup you’d still find something to moan about – only 3 shots in last two games – yeh and scored 5 the game before, Any idiot can use stats selectively to prove a case. Get a life

Heights
We’re 6 points off a champions league place after 20 games, if we beat WBA it would have been 3. You say shows how far we’ve fallen? We nearly went down last season, were you born on the first day of the season son.
All teams have a blip, time to take it on the chin, we spent nowt in the summer and were 10 points better than 10th place.
I really think we’re doing great, long may it continue, Pardew if your reading, keep it going. Some people on here do have a brain

Wow that Stud Muffin really knows how to live jesper mate. With his new chest hair he’ll be carrying a stick to beat the women off. Beautiful mate. As for unreliable cars I’ve had a few in my time. An old 70’s Datsun comes to mind (before they changed the name to Nissan mind).

By god you know how to dream as well Danish Dazzler. With your driving skills could you keep it on the road mate? Remember what happened to Mr. Bean in real life with his new Ferrari? I think he hit a lamp post with it first time out and went running off down the street like Mr. Bean would. Lovely touch that.

My bet is on us not strengthening the team unless we actually lose a top player or two so that we actually don’t strengthen only buy like for like.
The problem being that it’ll take any foreigner a half season to get to grips with the PL,that’s fine in Ashley’s eyes as we will stay in the league anyway.
I’m not expecting Jacksh1t

I’m only young (22) and work as a technician for VW and you are spot on with kids my age that know little to nothing about cars or how an internal combustion engine works.

The majority of customers we get can’t fit wiper blades, start cars when thet have put the wrong fuel in and try driving to the garage with the oil pressure warning on thinking it will be ok . They soon get a shock if their warranty has ran out .

Not being sexist but women are the worst, if you asked them to check the oil level they wouldn’t have a clue how to even open the bonnet .

I think we are a good team but there are six to seven better squads than ours and the owner isn’t going to radically address that even though he could, which unfortunately for us is his prerogative, but it means our chances of winning anything significant soon are relatively slim.

And football being football, I’d put us 6/4 under the circumstances to secure the win tomorrow, no better.

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United, when their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

Fantasy League

Mark Harding has again set up the Fantasy League for our readers for this season.

The new code is 3641-1656 and people can set up the league here:

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

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Health Update - 4 Feb, 2015

I had another battery of medical tests early last week, and the results show my PSA count as undetectable, which means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of cancer in the body.

I'm very pleased about that!

Ed Harrison

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What Is A Football Club?

“What is a club in any case?"

“Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes."

“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city."

“It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”